(Eagle News) — “Awkward, low, ugly, disgraceful.”
This was how Senator Panfilo Lacson described the scenes leading to the official election of Pampanga Rep. Gloria Arroyo as the new Speaker of the House of Representatives on Monday, July 23.
In a short Tweet on Tuesday, July 24, Lacson noted that the mace, which symbolizes the authority of the Lower Chamber, was “in a maze at the Batasan.”
“It didn’t know whose authority to symbolize at the opening of the 3rd regular session of the 17th Congress,” he said.
“It was an awkward, low, ugly and disgraceful sight for all to see,” he added.
Arroyo’s election came prior to the SONA, during an informal voting of lawmakers that took place after the Lower House’s session was abruptly terminated by allies of Alvarez, even with Rep. Rolando Andaya, Arroyo’s budget secretary, opposing the motion to adjourn the session.
The President’s speech was reportedly delayed for over an hour due to the leadership issue, with reports saying he had to speak to both Arroyo and Alvarez separately.
After the alleged talk, it was Alvarez who sat beside the President during his speech, something reserved for the House Speaker.
Following the President’s SONA, though, 238 members of the House stayed on to formally install Arroyo as Speaker in a special session.
The mace was not in the session at one point, prompting Nueva Ecija Rep. Magnolia Antonino to move to produce the same.
The session was suspended after presiding officer Rolando Andaya ordered the mace to be produced.
After it was produced though, Deputy Speaker Fredenil Castro moved to resume the session, noting that the mace was “merely symbolic.”
Over 100—184 lawmakers—voted for Arroyo while 12 abstained.
Arroyo was deputy speaker of the House until she was removed from the position by Alvarez in March after she voted against the death penalty bill.